This year the Buccaneers have two prominent former players up for 2009 Hall of Fame considerations: QB Doug Williams and LB Hardy Nickerson. Hall of Fame selectors will choose 25 candidates who will advance as semifinalist nominees. The list of 25 modern-era semifinalists will be announced later next month. For there, the 25 modern-era semifinalists list will be reduced by a mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists.

The final list of nominees that will be considered for election will consist of the 15 modern-era finalists and the two previously announced senior nominees, Bob Hayes and Claude Humphrey. Hayes and Humphrey were selected this past August by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Selection Committee.

The Class of 2009 will be selected from the list of 17 finalists (15 modern-era and two senior nominees). The actual voting will be conducted at the Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s annual meeting, which will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in Tampa, Florida the day before Super Bowl XLIII. The election results will be announced immediately after the meeting at a press conference in the media headquarters. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the ground rules provide that between four and seven new members will be selected.

The preliminary list includes 110 players, seven coaches and 16 contributors. To checkout the possible candidates click here. including former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and longtime team owners Bud Adams, Jerry Jones, Art Modell and Ralph Wilson.

110 players, sweet mercy, good LUCK trimming that list down. Of the 110 players there's a couple interesting names in there: TE Shannon Sharpe, TE Frank Wycheck, DE Bruce Smith, RB Terrell Davis, RB Ricky Watters, RB Hershel Walker, WR Irving Fryar, WR Andre Reed, WR Sterling Sharpe, DL Charles Haley, LB Kevin Greene, and S LeRoy Butler. Head Coaches Jimmy Johnson and Dan Reeves also perked my interest. I'm not saying any of these guys should be in the Hall, just that they specifically molded my interest in the Professional game of football.

As far as Hardy and Doug for the Hall of Fame, I never saw Doug play and so I won't cast an opinion there... Looking at the numbers, Hardy Nickerson had a very impressive career, but I'm not sure it's worthy of the Hall. The Bucs 'Ring of Honor'? Sure, but not the Hall... Some of you guys have to hark from way back, what are your thoughts on Doug and Hardy?